Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD for short, is a psychiatric disorder that can occur following the experience or witness of life-threatening events. A few such events are military combat, natural disasters, terrorist incidents, serious accidents, or violent personal assaults like rape. People who suffer from PTSD often relive the experience through nightmares and flashbacks, have difficulty sleeping, and feel detached or estranged. These symptoms can be severe enough and last long enough to significantly impair the person’s daily life.

PTSD is complicated by the fact that it frequently occurs in conjunction with related disorders such as depression, substance abuse, problems of memory and cognition, and other problems of physical and mental health. This disorder is also associated with impairment of the person’s ability to function in social or family life, including occupational instability, marital problems and divorce, family discord, and difficulties in parenting. Sergeant Dennis an Iraqi war veteran was one such person.

Sergeant Dennis was slightly over weight. He wore glasses and appeared to be always covered in persistent sweat. No matter the temperature, you would witness sweat dripping from his brow. I imagine he could have weighed 300 pounds or more before his tour of duty in Iraq. He most likely sweated the weight off in the dessert.

Dennis was ordered to anger management by a local family court. He appeared in the court after his wife filed a restraining order, forbidding him to come in contact with her or his 4- year old son. During the 10 sessions I met with Dennis, it was obvious that he had left Iraq but Iraq had not left him. He was extremely critical of the military and admitted that they “screwed him up.” With global pessimism, he consistently made statements like, “the only thing I’m good for is killing people.” He spouted a hatred for the Iraqi people and seemed literally tormented. Dennis returned home to distribute his torment on his wife and child. After weeks of excessive drinking, cursing his wife and forcing his 4-year-old son to do push ups and boot camp drills he found himself being pulled from his home by the local sheriff. Now living in a hotel room, Dennis appeared hopeless. He entered the room with his head in his chest and either slowly mumbles incomprehensible statements or blubbers in rapid, disjointed sentences. I encouraged him to seek out help with the Veterans Administration but Dennis only grumbled, “I don’t trust them”

Anger Management Classes can helpful to war veterans who participate in verbal or physical aggression. Anger Management classes focus on increasing emotional intelligence, developing stress management, teaching effective communication.

Shannon Munford M.A. is the owner of Daybreak Counseling Service, and anger management education center in Los Angeles, California. For more information visit www.daybreakservices.com